Claiming Felicity (Ace Security #4)(25)

The cursive lettering on the page was feminine and neat, but it was the word scrawled diagonally across the page that had surprised them all.

BITCH

No one said anything for a couple of seconds, then Ryder said dryly, “That’s not my mom’s handwriting.”

Blake picked up the letter and said, “Most of this is still legible.” Then he began to read.

Ace,

I know you’re probably surprised to hear from me, but I couldn’t leave this earth and not contact you. I’ve felt guilty for years for keeping this from you, but I knew you did what you thought was the right thing. I’ve never blamed you for leaving me, in fact, it only made me love and respect you more.

We have a son, Ace. I found out I was pregnant two months after you left. I don’t know how it happened, we were always so careful, but I don’t regret having him.

I named him Ryder Ace Sinclair. He knows about you. I didn’t hide who you were from him while he was growing up, except where you lived. He looks so much like you it sometimes makes my heart hurt looking at him. He graduated at the top of his high school class and did a stint in the Army. He works in security now, keeping people safe. I’m so proud of him, and I know you would be too.

I don’t expect you to do anything at this point. I don’t have much longer to live, cancer, but I’m not writing this letter to get your pity. I don’t regret one second of our time together. There wasn’t ever anyone who lived up to my expectations when it came to a man. You set the bar too high.

Maybe someday, if you think it’s safe, you’d consider meeting Ryder? He knows everything now. I talked to him last night.

I still love you, Ace. I never stopped. I hope you’re happy, it’s all I ever wanted for you.

Love,

Patricia

Ryder took a deep breath. His mom’s love for Ace was loud and clear in her letter. He’d known she loved the married man she’d had an affair with that resulted in his conception, but he hadn’t known.

He stole a glance over to Felicity. Now he understood. He had no idea how his mom had the strength to let Ace Anderson go. There was no way he could watch Felicity walk out of his life. Especially knowing she was living in an abusive relationship. No way.

As if she’d heard his thoughts, Felicity brought her eyes up to his. “She let him go because she loved him so much.”

Ryder’s heart felt as if it stopped beating for a moment, then kicked into gear again, double the speed it had been. Felicity was right. Whatever Ace Anderson had said to his mother when he left had kept her away. She’d done it because she loved him. With all her heart.

“My mom found this,” Blake said in a weird tone as he stared at the letter with the awful word scrawled across it. “I recognize her handwriting.” He turned the envelope over and fingered the postmark. “This arrived the day my dad was murdered.”

Ryder sucked in a breath. No. Without thought, his hand clamped on Blake’s shoulder. He didn’t know what to say, but he wanted to let his brother know he was sorry, so very sorry.

Felicity shifted behind him, and Ryder realized she was reaching out to take baby Ace from Alexis. As soon as Alexis’s arms were free, she kneeled down next to Blake and wrapped her arms around him.

Blake buried his head in Alexis’s hair, and they held each other.

“Come on,” Ryder told Felicity. She was holding both babies now, and he steered her away from the desk and the grieving couple. Ryder’s head was spinning with the knowledge he’d just learned as well. He couldn’t help but feel guilty. He didn’t have anything to do with his mom writing the letter or what his father’s wife had done, but still . . .

“It wasn’t your fault,” Felicity said, as if she really could read his mind.

“I know, love. It’s just so sad,” Ryder returned.

He settled them both on the couch, then reached out and took Nate from her arms. The little guy was heavier than he looked. Ryder then leaned over and pulled out his phone. The information they’d gleaned was huge. Blake needed his brother’s support.

An hour later, Logan, Grace, Bailey and her brother, Joel, and Nathan were all gathered in Blake’s house. It was a tight fit, as the house wasn’t huge, but no one seemed to notice.

Felicity was sitting on Ryder’s lap on the couch, and Grace was sitting next to her with baby Ace in her arms. Logan was pacing next to the couch, bouncing an irritable Nate in his arms. Blake was sitting in a large easy chair with Alexis in his lap, and Nathan was sitting on the love seat with Bailey at his side. Joel was sitting cross-legged on the floor at their feet.

“So, we think Dad got this letter, and Mom found it?” Logan asked.

Blake nodded. “That, or Dad showed it to her.”

“Why would he do that?” Nathan asked. “He knew better than anyone how she would’ve reacted.”

No one answered his question for a beat. Then Grace spoke up. “What if he showed it to her hoping she’d get mad enough to divorce him? Or at least tell him to get out? I mean . . . he obviously knew she was violent, but maybe he realized how much he loved Ryder’s mom and wanted Rose to do something drastic so he could leave.”

“She did something drastic, all right,” Alexis said in a quiet voice.

“Or he got the letter and was going to hide it, so she never saw it, but Rose found it anyway,” Bailey added. “Then freaked out and confronted him about it.”